Thanks for stopping by and checking out my work. I am primarily a bar and bat mitzvah photographer based out of Fulton, MD but I also shoot, on occasion, portraits and corporate events.
If you'd like pricing info for any of these types of photo coverage, please email me or call me at 301.498.1804.
This past Saturday night I shot my last bat mitzvah for 2011 and it was such a great event to end the year with. I was, admittedly, a little nervous about shooting twins (twice the number of kids, twice the number of moments to capture). I shouldn’t have worried ~ the entire night was a breeze and Kayla and Elena were truly two of the nicest kids I’ve had the pleasure of photographing. It took me a while to put my finger on just what was different about them and then I realized that they had just turned 12 (most of the kids I photograph have turned – or are about to turn – 13). That one year made a huge difference; Kayla and Elana still had some of that little girl sweetness and innocence (not that they are little girls by any means). I’m still, even days later, struck by what a difference a year can make at this age. I think I might just lock Kate up when she turns 12 and refuse to let her get any older.
I digress. The night was beautiful ~ there were tons of kids and a huge dance floor which they made the most of. The kids danced until the very end and my second shooter (hi Megan!) and I were able to capture it all. Thanks Orzach family for welcoming me so warmly on your special night and for making my job so easy.
Kate was feeling a little bit better yesterday afternoon so we took a few minutes to take photos of her. She’s back to her sick self this morning (again. still?) and we’re off to the doctor this afternoon. I’m ready to spray the entire house down with Lysol and be done with the passing back and forth of this respiratory illness.
I went moodier and darker with Kate, only because she is really good at posing without smiling (Jack could never do that. Ever).
I’ve been shooting a lot lately – bar and bat mitzvahs, holiday photos, regular portraits, conventions for corporate clients… I am beyond grateful for the work but creatively I am drained. I haven’t shot for myself in quite a while and today, with Kate home sick and Jeff away all day at a football game, I asked Jack to be my model. True to form he was completely excited to do it. Until we set everything up and I asked him to sit there and look at me: ‘But I want to stand! How about I do this pose? Why do I have to look at you?’. Etc, etc. If you know Jack, you know what I’m talking about.
So I only had about 5 minutes with him, my camera, a speedlight and a ray flash which I haven’t used in I don’t know how long. Here is Jack in 4 frames:
Another Saturday, another bat mitzvah, right? Not this time. I’ve known Kayley’s mom for about 7 years ~ we met when her younger daughter, Sydney, and Kate were in the same preschool class at Temple Isaiah. Robin ended up teaching preschool there for a few years and was Jack’s teacher one year and she also taught the kids art. We started getting to know each other and hanging out when Jack graduated to the next class.
Since then she and her family have moved to our neighborhood and we see them all the time. So when she approached me about photographing Kayley’s bat mitzvah but not knowing how it would work since she wanted me to be a guest, I jumped at the chance. First of all, if you know me at all you know I hate to dance and I find most receptions painful even with several glasses of wine under my belt. I’d much rather be at home under the covers with a good book and not having to make small talk with a lot of people I don’t know.
I told Robin I would much prefer to be the photographer and she let me. I always get choked up at bar and bat mitzvahs when I see the slideshows of the kids growing up and hear the parents make toasts and this was no exception. I was more emotional because I got to see Kayley during the services and she did such an excellent job.
The reception was so much fun to photograph ~ mostly because I knew a lot of the people and felt comfortable taking photos and knew who would let me photograph them and who wouldn’t.
Congrats Kayley, Robin, Brian and Sydney ~ it was a beautiful day (despite the snow!).
Got to spend some time with Jordan and his family in Bethesda this past weekend for his bar mitzvah. I’m officially going on record that petulant, non-cooperative 13-year-old boys are the exception and not the rule. Jordan was another one of these kids I hope my son turns out like ~ he was funny, charming, polite and spent most of his reception with his 6-year-old niece (he even partnered up with her for a spirited game of Coke and Pepsi which, for this reception, was not Coke and Pepsi but Flyers and some other hockey team as hockey was the theme of the evening).
The reception was so much fun ~ I never know what a crowd is going to be like and the more people dance and participate, the better the photos usually are (who wants photos of people sitting around?). This group was up and dancing for most of the night and it was the first time I can remember that I actually had trouble taking photos of the dance floor because there were so many people on it. Not a bad problem to have
Rori, Rich, Jordan and Julia? Thanks for trusting me with your big day!
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I haven’t seen Malena or her daughter, Andrea, since the last time I photographed them – 4 years ago. At that time, Andrea was 12 (almost 13) and was still mostly a little girl. But now? She’s a young adult. It’s amazing to me how much can happen in 4 years. She is bright, ambitious (she wants to be a museum curator!), nice and just an all around great kid. I asked her mom what her secret(s) is/are and Malena had great advice:
1. Always offer to drive carpool. When the girls start talking, shut up and listen.
2. Don’t overreact. If you freak out the first time they share something important with you, they’re not going to want to share more with you.
3. Talk. Talk, talk, talk and then talk some more with your kid. But always make sure to listen.
I love talking to moms with older kids and picking their brains for parenting tips. I figure I’ve still got at least two more years before Kate can’t stand to be in the same room as me and I plan on maximizing that time together. All the parents I admire and respect tell me the same thing: your kids will go away for a while when they are teenagers but if you’ve done it right, they’ll come back.
Here’s hoping.
Malena, Andrea and I played around downtown Bethesda and had such a good time ~ I love clients that want to go somewhere different. We walked, we talked, we stopped in at Art Walk and ended at a cafe for coffee and chocolate crossants. Not a bad way to spend a morning.
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This was a bittersweet session: Jamie is the youngest of three siblings and I’ve photographed each of their bar/bat mitzvahs. The oldest, Jake, was actually the very first bar mitzvah I ever photographed. I had done family portraits for Julie and her family and she asked me if I would shoot portraits at the temple for Jake’s bar mitzvah. I declined because a) I’d never done it before and b) who the heck wants to be a bar mitzvah photographer, anyway? Aren’t they old men in cheap black suits who sweat a lot? After talking with Julie a little bit and finding out that she wanted more natural portraits, I decided to do it and found (much to my surprise) that I really enjoyed it. So I have Julie to thank for my current career path.
But back to Jamie. I first met her when she was about 8 years old and we did family portraits at her house. I haven’t seen her in forever so when I showed up at temple last weekend to shoot the bimah portraits, I was stunned to see a young woman. I mean, really. And the thing is, when I see friend’s kids growing up it makes me realize how quickly my own kids are growing up. Seeing Jamie’s older sister, Jordan, was shocking, too. I haven’t seen Jordan since I shot her bat mitzvah portraits two years ago and the difference between then and now is mind boggling.
So this was the last of the Kotler kids and while I know Julie and Rick are relieved to be done with bar and bat mitzvahs, I’m a little bit sad that I won’t be getting to do this again with them and their (really fantastic) extended family.
Congrats, Jamie! And Julie? Thank you.
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I’ve decided, after photographing Jake and his family this past weekend, that I am going to have to rethink my beliefs about 13-year-old boys.
The past few boys I’ve photographed have all proven exceptions to the rule that boys that age can be goofy and won’t listen to instructions but Jake was heads above all of them.
What struck me most was how he treated his little sister, Allison, who is 5. During the kiddush luncheon on Saturday, surrounded by all of his friends, he made space at his table so she could sit next to him. There was no rolling his eyes or complaining to his mother about having to sit next to her, or how he shouldn’t have to do it since it’s his big day. None of that. He was kind and gentle and included her in everything, even at the reception that evening.
My brothers and I certainly didn’t treat each other like that and as much as I’d like to believe that Kate and Jack will grow up being kind to each other I’ve already seen evidence to the contrary. No way in hell is Kate going to want to hang out with Jack at her bat mitzvah (and ditto with Jack). I don’t know how Jake’s parents, Jeff and Michele, did it but I sure wish they’d write a book on parenting and raising kids without sibling rivalry.
So the reception. Get this. The boys actually DANCED at the reception. And not just awkward teenage boy dancing – they were really good! The reception was held at a really cool place in Gaithersburg called The Trenches. There were tons of video games and there was even a ping pong table, pool table and foosball table. My favorite part was ‘Jake’s Dugout’ with the artificial turf and the red couches. Haven’t seen that before and I’m tucking that idea away in my back pocket for Jack’s bar mitzvah.
Mazel Tov, Jeff, Michele and Jake (and Ethan and Allison!) ~ thank you for allowing me to be part of your family’s simcha.
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This was such a special photo shoot for me; Emily was both Kate and Jack’s 1st grade teacher (and it’s still weird to call her Emily after always referring to her as Mrs. Baxter).
I loved her when she taught Kate – she was nurturing and warm and gave Kate the extra attention and reassurances she needed. For Jack, she was calm and cool but also set clear expectations on what behavior was expected in her classroom (namely not yelling out whatever is in your head the minute you think of it. So Jack.). She was a fantastic teacher for both my kids and at the end of last year I decided I wanted to do a special teacher gift – something besides a Target gift card or a bookstore gift card (both nice gifts, of course).
I decided to give her a gift certificate for a family photo session. Emily had commented a few times on the photos my kids brought in for class projects but I still wasn’t sure if she was just being nice or if she really liked my photography. Turns out she was thrilled with the gift and a few weeks ago I got to meet her husband and kids. We romped around and watched the goats pee on their little house and got to see chickens. Andrew is almost 2 so he was having none of my guidance to sit down and look at me but Kaylee was happy to pose and look at me and it was really sweet to see her with her little brother; they reminded me of Kate and Jack when they were that age and used to like each other.
Emily – thank you for being such a wonderful teacher for my kids; I only wish you could teach them in every grade.
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this was my 4th session with the mclean family; the last session was may 2009 and i couldn’t believe how much the kids had grown. owen just finished his first year of school and hudson now talks.
we headed out to a new location (for me) in howard county and i’m so glad we did; the grounds were gorgeous and provided lots of different spots for photos. thankfully we had a break in the horrid heat and no one wilted (although there might have been some lollipop bribes. maybe.)
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most photographers don’t like to have their photos taken. I’m no exception. I’ve never loved having my photo taken but especially the last 4 or 5 years I’ve come to dread it because of the weight I’ve gained. I’m easily 30 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight (with both kids) and every photo I see reminds me of how different I look. You know how most people think they are bigger than they are? I’m the opposite; I look in the mirror and still see traces of the athlete I used to be. It’s not until I see myself in a photo that I realize how huge I’ve gotten.
Because of that, I’ve put off having family photos taken for the past 4 years (the last time we had them done). I wanted to lose weight/get in shape/etc and THEN we could do family photos. But after watching several bar & bat mitzvah slideshows at receptions the past few months, I’ve come to realize that it’s not how I look in the photos but the fact that I’m in them. I don’t want to look back in 20 years and wonder why I’m not in any of the photos with my kids and husband. And what if I never lose the weight? What if I end up being this weight forever? Then I’ve wasted all that time.
So I called Megan. If you’ve done business with Anna Elliott Photography, then you’ve most likely spoken to Megan. I call her my assistant but she’s more than that; she’s a friend, too. She does all the scheduling for my sessions and she does a fantastic job. She’s also a photographer and she was, of course, the person I turned to to take my family photos.
I love what she captured. This one of me and the kids? With Jack is hanging off of me and Kate peeking up over my shoulder? And my mouth wide open? My hands down favorite photo (maybe ever) of us. It’s one of those moments that captured exactly how I felt and I treasure it. It’s definitely going in the bar/bat mitzvah slideshows.
She posted a bunch more over on her site, so head over there and check them out: Megan Evans Photography.
This is going to be a long post with a lot of photos so bear with me.
I met Suzanne over a year ago when she contacted me about photographing her daughter’s bat mitzvah. Suzanne found me online doing a google search and in scouring my website and facebook page, she noticed that one of her co-workers at AIPAC ‘liked’ my facebook page. She didn’t see any connection (remember, my business name is not the same as my actual name) and asked her co-worker how she knew me. Turns out it’s my sister-in-law. Small world? For you and me, maybe. For Suzanne? Nope. She knows everyone and I’m guessing she’s pretty used to making random connections between people she knows.
So we meet and Suzanne books me. I really liked her when I met her (as my sister-in-law told me I would) but didn’t think much of it. But then. THEN. Suzanne asked me back in April if I’d be interested in shooting the AIPAC policy conference in May. Um, yes? So I spent 3 days with Suzanne – 2 of them spending the night together in the same hotel room and I have come to adore (ADORE) her.
But here’s the catch. Before shooting AIPAC with her, I wasn’t nervous at all about shooting Kayla’s bat mitzvah. Sure, Suzanne is a photographer herself but she was so down to earth (and even a little self deprecating) about her abilities that I didn’t think twice about it. But after shooting with her at AIPAC? I had a knot in my stomach leading up to the big day. Suzanne knows her stuff. Really.
But you know what? It was amazing shooting the event. Suzanne’s temple is gorgeous and had beautiful natural light (oh, if only all temples could be so amazing) and Suzanne and her family were totally natural in front of the camera. And the reception? LOVE. It was at Tommy Joe’s in Bethesda which, at first glance, looks like just a little restaurant and bar. But hidden in the back there is a courtyard with tons of natural light and sparkly lights and it was just the extra oomph needed to put the photos over the top.
It was a wonderful event to shoot, from start to finish. Suzanne’s daughter, Abby, has her bat mitzvah in two years and I can only hope (pray/wish/plead/beg) I get to be part of their family’s simcha again.
(there are way more photos in this preview than I normally show. I’m not playing favorites; I originally told Suzanne I would have all of her photos to her before I left for vacation tomorrow but then realized I’d have one more week for my normal turnaround time when I got back. So to make up for it, she gets to see more previews)
I literally got chills and teared-up at photo #10. The love. The joy. Amazing. Mazel tov indeed!
SuzanneJune 16, 2011 - 11:24 am
Ahhhhh! I’m so exicted!!! I just read your blog and got teary and then I just saw the first photo and am crying!! It’s so weird…I almost don’t want to look at the rest because then I know I won’t ever have that feeling of the anticipation again. So…I’m writing you to prolong the anticipation. WEIRD…I know.
Love you!!!
SuzanneJune 16, 2011 - 11:27 am
Now that I’ve looked through all of them, I was wrong about losing the feeling of anticipation. I can’t wait to go through them again and again. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! Now the anticipation will build until we get to see the rest. You are such a tease!!!
xxxooo
-Suzanne
RuthiJune 17, 2011 - 11:16 am
OMG what a beautiful family and a wonderful photographer who was able to capture the essence of the weekend and the joy Kayla expressed. I am anxious to see more. Thanks for sharing.
DebbieJune 17, 2011 - 12:26 pm
Fabulous photo’s! You really captured the joy that a parent feels watching their child celebrate this milestone in their lives. It was great to be a part of the weekend and I look forward to seeing the rest too.
Debbie (from Jersey)
I changed things up for noah’s bar mitzvah: he didn’t have a traditional reception but instead took a group of friends to Dave and Busters to play and eat and hang out the way 13-year old boys do. So instead of providing reception coverage, I did a portrait session of Noah (and his adorable goldendoodle pup, Riley) a few days before his bar mitzvah. It was relaxed and low key and allowed Noah (who has aspergers) to become comfortable in front of the camera before we did the temple bimah shots.
The portrait session went great but truth be told I wasn’t sure how he would react to the bimah portraits. We did them the day before the bar mitzvah so it would be less pressure but there is nothing relaxed about bimah portraits. It’s a lot of rearranging and standing and fake smiling which grates on the nerves of any 13-year-old kid. But you know what? Noah was a champ. He didn’t complain or get a sour face (which, trust me, lots of the boys do during bimah portraits) and he was infinitely patient with me as I cajoled and made stupid knock knock jokes with his brothers (who were all bar mitzvahed by the same rabbi!).
I saw his parents Monday night at an event and asked how the big day went and they said he did great. Mazel tov, Noah!
I shot bimah portraits for Max and Reed’s bar mitzvah last weekend (I didn’t shoot the reception because I was lucky enough to be a guest). It was the second time shooting for my dear friends – I shot their older son’s bar mitzvah 2 years ago. Sometimes I still get nervous before shoots because the morning of a bar or bat mitzvah is stressful no matter how low key the family is or how many times they gone through it before. Not so with Wendy, Andrew and their families ~ I’ve known them for many years and it was like hanging out with my own family (but much more fun, truth be told).
The one thing I kept coming back to during the photo session was that time passes way too quickly. When I first met Wendy and Andrew, my kids were 1 and 3. Their youngest, Max, was 7 and at the time I thought he was so old (SEVEN! he can wipe his own butt! feed himself! walk on his own two feet!). And now? My youngest is about to turn 7 and I can’t figure out where the past 6 years have gone. I look at Max and Reed and see my own kids at their bar and bat mitzvahs in a few years. Yep, Kate is not quite 9 but 4 years? It will pass in an instant.
As a side (personal) note, I don’t know if Wendy and Andrew know that they are one of my role models for raising my kids (my in-laws are the others). I have taken so many useful ideas from them over the years (we don’t allow the kids to use the word ‘hate’. no tv or computers on school nights.) and I look at how they have raised their kids and hope and pray my two turn out as mature and funny and responsible as their three. Thanks, Wendy and Andrew xoxoxo
Enough. Here are some photos from the bimah. Enjoy.
Isaac totally surprised me. Thirteen-year-old boys (guys?), as a rule, do not like to have their photos taken. They especially don’t like to have their photos taken while wearing a suit. And a tie. With their parents. And little brother.
Isaac? He was all in. He never complained or gave me a sour face. In fact, I have several photos of him sticking his tongue out (a la Gene Simmons) and raising his hand in the Sign of the Horns. In all? He was a joy to photograph.
The other thing I loved about Isaac was his connection to his parents. Here he is, 13 years old, and he still hugs his mom and dad. In public. That’s pretty cool to me (I’m sure It helps that his parents are very cool and fun).
So here are a few photos culled from the many I took during the bimah portraits last week and the reception on Saturday:
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